Saving Agnes — Rachel Cusk

Saving Agnes, the acclaimed Whitbread First Novel Award winner, is a deftly comic and surprisingly moving tale of growing up and moving on from one of England's smartest and most entertaining young writers.

Chronically confused, terminally middle class, and hopelessly romantic, Agnes Day lives with her two best friends in the London suburbs and works at an obscure trade magazine. Life and love seem to go on without her, but she gives a convincing performance that everything is alright -- until she learns her roommates and boyfriend are keeping secrets from her, and her boss is quitting and leaving her in charge. In great despair, Agnes decides to make it her business to set things straight.

In her debut novel, Rachel Cusk explores the challenges of young adulthood with wit, insight, and a touch of romance. Saving Agnes showcases Cusk's talent for creating relatable characters and capturing the nuances of contemporary women's lives, cementing her status as a rising star in British literary fiction.